Stop Saying "I Think" - 19 Powerful Alternatives

Key Concepts

• Alternatives to "I think": Phrases to express opinions with more variety and confidence.
• Casual Expressions: Informal phrases suitable for conversations with friends and family.
• Assertive Expressions: Phrases that convey a more confident or direct opinion.
• Reflective Expressions: Phrases used for thoughtful or considered opinions.
• Formal Expressions: Phrases appropriate for professional settings like meetings and presentations.
• Diplomatic Expressions: Phrases used to express opinions gently and tactfully.
• Vocabulary Expansion: The goal of learning new phrases to improve communication clarity and variety.

Casual Everyday Alternatives

This section introduces four expressions that are warm, honest, and personal, suitable for informal conversations.

• To be honest: Used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate genuine thoughts.
  • Example: "To be honest, that film was far too long for my liking."
• I'm not going to lie: A very casual and British expression, usable at the beginning or end of a sentence. "Going to" is often reduced to "gonna."
  • Example: "I'm not gonna lie, that cake was delicious."
• Personally speaking: Placed at the start of a sentence to clearly signal a personal opinion.
  • Example: "Personally speaking, I don't think pineapple belongs on pizza."
• In all honesty: Similar to "to be honest" but sounds slightly more formal.
  • Example: "In all honesty, I prefer quiet nights over big parties."

More Confident or Assertive Casual Phrases

Three casual phrases are presented that convey a more confident or assertive tone.

• If you ask me: Can be used at the beginning or end of a sentence.
  • Example: "Exams don't always show how clever someone is, if you ask me."
• I reckon: A very British and relaxed phrase.
  • Example: "I reckon we should leave early to avoid traffic."
• I'd say: A nice phrase to start a sentence. The contraction "I'd" is more natural in casual settings than "I would."
  • Example: "I'd say that's the best curry house in town."

Slightly More Reflective Phrases

Two phrases are offered for when a thoughtful opinion is being given.

• My take on something is: Used to introduce one's perspective.
  • Example: "My take on social media is that it's helpful but also quite distracting."
• The way I see it: Used to present one's viewpoint.
  • Example: "The way I see it, we've got to rethink the whole plan."

Quick Challenge

A scenario is presented to test the application of the learned phrases: Imagine a friend wants to quit their job and move abroad, an experience the speaker has had. The speaker believes the friend would not enjoy it. The challenge is to choose between "in all honesty," "personally speaking," or "I reckon" to share this opinion.

More Formal Expressions

This section covers phrases suitable for formal contexts like meetings, presentations, and emails, or for polite disagreement.

Framing a Point of View

Three phrases are introduced that help frame one's perspective and are placed at the beginning of a sentence.

• From my point of view:
  • Example: "From my point of view, the project was a great success."
• From where I stand:
  • Example: "From where I stand, the benefits of cycling outweigh the risks."
• As far as I'm concerned:
  • Example: "As far as I'm concerned, everyone should have access to free health care."

Opinions Based on Personal Experience or Belief

Three phrases are presented for opinions rooted in personal experience or belief, typically followed by a "that" clause. The word "that" can be included or omitted.

• I believe:
  • Example: "I believe (that) she's the right person for the job."
• I feel:
  • Example: "I feel we've made real progress this quarter."
• I find that:
  • Example: "I find that walking meetings are more productive."

Diplomatic Phrases

Three phrases are offered for expressing opinions gently or tactfully.

• It seems to me that:
  • Example: "It seems to me that the team needs more time."
• My impression is that:
  • Example: "My impression is that she's more confident than she used to be."
• My view is that:
  • Example: "My view is that public transport should be more affordable."

Conclusion and Next Steps

The video concludes by stating that 19 better ways to give opinions in English have been presented. Viewers are encouraged to use one of these phrases in the comments to share their opinions on various topics (favorite film, pineapple pizza, the lesson itself). Information is provided on how to obtain downloadable notes as a PDF via a link in the description. A recommendation is made to watch another video on British expressions for further learning.